TY - JOUR
T1 - Symbols of Diaspora Jewish identity
T2 - An international survey and multi-dimensional analysis
AU - Cohen, Erik H.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - Symbols are important in representing religious and ethnic identity, particularly in the postmodern age. Using a case study of Jewish adolescents, this article explores the use of symbols in expressing identity. A structural typology of symbols is developed, based on responses to a list of 20 symbols of Jewish identity by over 40,000 Jewish youth from around the world, who were surveyed during educational tours to Israel. The multi-dimensional smallest space analysis (SSA) technique is used to develop the typology by graphically representing the correlations between the symbols. Symbols representing the struggle of the weak against the strong are at the core of the typology. This core is surrounded by sets of symbols related to religion, family, Israel, the Holocaust, justice, and contribution to world culture. A parallel centre-periphery structure indicates that people are more central symbols than places or objects. Sub-populations of self-defined "religious" and "non-religious" Jewish youth are compared in relation to this typology of symbols by introducing them into the SSA as "external variables". Applications of the typology of symbols to other ethnic and religious groups are explored.
AB - Symbols are important in representing religious and ethnic identity, particularly in the postmodern age. Using a case study of Jewish adolescents, this article explores the use of symbols in expressing identity. A structural typology of symbols is developed, based on responses to a list of 20 symbols of Jewish identity by over 40,000 Jewish youth from around the world, who were surveyed during educational tours to Israel. The multi-dimensional smallest space analysis (SSA) technique is used to develop the typology by graphically representing the correlations between the symbols. Symbols representing the struggle of the weak against the strong are at the core of the typology. This core is surrounded by sets of symbols related to religion, family, Israel, the Holocaust, justice, and contribution to world culture. A parallel centre-periphery structure indicates that people are more central symbols than places or objects. Sub-populations of self-defined "religious" and "non-religious" Jewish youth are compared in relation to this typology of symbols by introducing them into the SSA as "external variables". Applications of the typology of symbols to other ethnic and religious groups are explored.
KW - Diaspora
KW - Identity
KW - Jewish identity
KW - Multi-dimensional analysis
KW - Symbols
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55149100263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.religion.2008.03.010
DO - 10.1016/j.religion.2008.03.010
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AN - SCOPUS:55149100263
SN - 0048-721X
VL - 38
SP - 293
EP - 304
JO - Religion
JF - Religion
IS - 4
ER -